Fairfax County Fire Chief Michael Neuhard
to Become Stafford County Deputy Administrator

Michael P. Neuhard, chief of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue
Department and Fairfax County Fire Marshal, will become Stafford County’s
second deputy county administrator in February. Neuhard, a 29-year
veteran of Fairfax’s Fire and Rescue Department, will be responsible for
all of Stafford County’s community development-related activities to
include planning, code, utilities and transportation, and will report
directly to the Stafford County administrator.

“Stafford County’s gain is certainly Fairfax County’s loss,” said Gerald
E. Connolly, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. “Chief
Neuhard is truly a dedicated public servant and has been an asset to the
fire department and to the residents of Fairfax County. We wish him well
in his new position with Stafford County.”

Neuhard currently directs a staff of approximately 1,700 career
personnel – uniformed and civilian – approximately 300 operational fire
and EMS volunteers, 36 fire stations and a FY 07 budget of $170 million.
He plans, coordinates and directs the overall operation of the Fire and
Rescue Department, including fire suppression, hazardous material
abatement, emergency medical services, fire prevention, technical rescue
and administrative and support services. During his career with the
department, Neuhard served as the assistant chief of Administrative
Services, deputy chief of Special Operations, Hazardous Materials
Response Team coordinator, and head of Hazardous Materials Services in
the Fire Prevention Division.

For the last decade, Neuhard has served on various national, regional,
state and county level boards and committees, as well as a number of
departmental work groups including service as chair of the Fire
Department’s Strategic Planning Leadership Team. A 2001 graduate of
Leadership Fairfax, Neuhard serves on the Fairfax County Domestic
Violence Prevention Policy Coordinating Council, is chair of the West
Virginia High Technology Consortium - Emergency Response Technology
Advisory Group, chair of the Washington Metropolitan Council of
Governments’ Fire Chiefs Committee, and serves as a member of the
Virginia Wireless E-911 Services Board. He also has served on the Secure
Commonwealth Panel since his initial appointment in 2002. He was recently
reappointed to serve on the board by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine.

Neuhard is a graduate of Mary Washington College, the Northern Virginia
Community College and the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center
for Public Service Senior Executive Institute. His professional
affiliations include the Virginia State Fire Chiefs’ Association, the
International Association of Firefighters and the International
Association of Fire Chiefs.

For more information, contact the Fairfax County Office of Public
Affairs at 703-324-3187, TTY 711. For more about Neuhard’s new position
with Stafford County, contact Cathy Riddle, Stafford County Public
Information Officer, at 540-658-4894, TTY 711.